Doc Sidhe by Aaron Allston
Publication: Baen Books (April 2001), ebook / ISBN 0671876627 (pbook)
Genre: Fantasy, Action
Rating: 
Find free ebook @ WebScription
First sentence: The Smile mocked him.
When I think of 1990′s fantasy, I think of Clive Barker, Power Rangers, and Harry Potter. Doc Sidhe fits nicely into that mold, so I was well pleased.
Summary from AaronAllston.com:
A failed athlete discovers that the world of Faerie really does exist… but today, it’s a rip-roaring pulp-adventure setting with elves, gangsters, submachine guns, weird science and monsters.
Doc Sidhe starts off rather rocky, with one of those present event-flashback shift things I can’t stand. I know why it’s done, but it can be overdone, y’know? Anyway, it pretty quickly past that little bump and from then on it was smooth sailing. I love alternate worlds/histories, and there’s plenty of fascinating differences between the “grim” (human) and the “” (faerie) worlds to learn about. The characters, for the most part, are varied and have layers and are fun to read about, and the plot isn’t too bad, either. The writing is pretty good, though I remember a few snaggles early on in regards to actions taken during a fight, and the ending is supremely happy, which I always love.
There are a few things I didn’t like, mostly the cliched parts. Humans as bad and dirty and violent while elves are earth-loving and super awesome? Yeah, it’s been done. It gets annoying to read that over and over again in so many books, and it would have been more interesting to read something different for once. However, Mr. Allston made up for that slip by saying that all the crappy stuff happened to humans first, because their world could handle it. The faerie world would apparently swoon like a Victorian heroine! I really appreciated that addition to the story.
And the OMG TWIST near the end? Yeah, I totally saw that 20 pages before anyone else, and it wasn’t so much a shock to me. Ha! And also it was, again, cliched. I suppose it’s hard not to be cliched in the fantasy genre, especially in a pulp-ish book.
Doc Sidhe is a fun pulp-ish book, though, and even the cliches can’t keep me from enjoying. I had fun reading it, and it was a quick, easy sort of read at that. It’s not perfect, and it’s no Emma Bull book, but I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who likes action-adventure/alternate world fantasy books– especially since you can get it for free! It’s got a sequel, too, Sidhe-Devil.
What 1990′s fantasy book/movie do you like best?
Other reviews: The Lensman’s Children
Loading ...
i haven’t really dipped my toes into the fantasy genre. the closest i’ve come to pseudo-fantasy would be harry potter and eragon. i’ve seen fantasy books on quite a few blogs and i’m starting to wonder if i’m missing something good!
Fantasy is a great genre to read and write. As an author it is a fantastic way to really let your imagination shine. Although it can be quite tricky to balance between going over the top and not having enough. Too many times fantasy novels get way too weird and far out there with civilizations and weird magical powers. I think a great fantasy novel is one that has spectacular details, but is also something that is not bogged down with outlandish aliens or creatures. Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit are good examples, and Harry Potter a little bit as well.